CENTRE — Centre Mayor Tony Wilkie last week officially announced he will seek a second term as mayor.

The accompanying press release read as follows: “These past four years have been challenging for our city. By working hand-in-hand with the City Council and our dedicated municipal employees, we have kept our city financially stable in a time when many municipalities across our state have been forced to raise taxes and cut services.

“I feel passionately about Centre because it has always been home for me. My wife Mary and I have raised our family here and have been local business owners for the past 22 years. I served on the City Council from 2004-2008 because I wanted to be a part of making Centre a place where our daughters, Chelsey and Bailey, would want to stay and raise their families. My time as a city councilman was definitely a time of learning and growth. I learned how city government works and the value of working together to improve our city. Most importantly, I learned the absolute necessity of keeping Centre financially strong.

“During my time as your mayor, I put my business experience and knowledge learned as a councilman to improve our city. My business experience has enabled me to efficiently and effectively manage our city’s spending and operate under budget in each of my four years as mayor. Numerous businesses have opened their doors in our city, enabling us to stabilize tax revenue and provide local jobs.

“In striving to make Centre a better place for future generations to call home, I initiated programs to improve our city’s beauty and recreational opportunities. We have taken the responsibility for mowing the Highway 411 right-of-way, as well as keeping litter off our city rights-of-way. We have experienced tremendous growth in recreation, with the largest number of baseball and softball teams in our city’s history. By hosting the 2011 State Dixie Youth Boys Baseball Tournament, our city gained recognition and statewide exposure.

“As your mayor I am committed to maintaining our hometown values, keeping local taxes low and promoting responsible economic growth. As I pledged four years ago, I will continue to maintain a city government that is fair, honest, and lives up to the trust you have placed in me.”